Ragnarok
by Rodrigo Shin
Summary: Months after the Final Weapon Incident, a new unlikely menace steps forth to challenge the Maverick Hunters. Will X and Zero be able to defeat the "Supreme Reploid" before he destroys the Earth as it's known?
1. Default Chapter

_-Foreword-_

Greetings. Rodrigo Shin here, the author of the story you've just picked for reading. Firstly, more than anything, I'd like to thank you for picking this specific fan story - or "fic", as it is mostly known - amongst all the others available.

"Ragnarok" is my first _serious_ attempt at a Mega Man X fanfic. The previous ones were merely for humor (most of them well known for some fanfiction.net visitors), done in script format (as humor did not require such a high level of writing skill to accomplish it's goal- entertain the reader in the comedy way), or ideas I did not develop further due to the lack of feedback (like the "Insane Revenge" story, that perhaps is still lingering somewhere in the fanfiction.net directory).

The main reasons that drove me to write a Mega Man X fanfiction was that of to expose my personal view of the X series, apparently unshared by any other authors alike. To make things clearer to everybody, my sense of "adventure / action" genre was defined by the popular anime series _Saint Seiya. _For those who haven't watched it, it is a drama loaded series with few (and very few, at that) comic reliefs, setting up a serious atmosphere for the story and the characters. I really enjoyed watching the shows througholy, and at the time we got it here on Brazil, it was the time the X games began to come out. To me, their atmospheres matched up perfectly. Speaking of Brazil, yes, I'm Brazilian and Brazilian Portuguese is my mother language... so I hope you can cope with me in any and all grammatical mistakes you may find in the story.

Ragnarok's storyline is set after X4. The war against Repliforce was won, but at what cost? X and Zero try to deal with themselves about this matter, unknowing that a new unlikely menace will step forth from a forgotten shadow, that dwelled in the darkness for too long now... and that will put the world against it's greatest crisis, one that is even bigger than the "Repliforce Indepedence" scenario. 

Will X and Zero, even if pained by the loss of countless innocents at the last war, be able to stand up against this new menace? And what about the Reploids - the thinking machines, the mechanic brothers of the humans with their own kind of souls as witnessed in the Laguz Island incident? Was there any wonder why they came about - was it for love, or to leave sin abound? The answer has to be found out... soon...

The dreams are shattered,  
The hope is destroyed.  
The banner leading people falls into the darkness. 

Today is the moment of truth,  
Or the beginning of a new era?

So if you try to block my path with tenderness,  
I will answer with a cold kiss...

Love is wasted, rip your heart....  
Use blood to mark our separation.  
(_adapted from Hironobu Kageyama's "Dead or Dead"_ _song lyrics)._  
  
**Mega Man X: Ragnarok**


	2. Prelude

21XX.  
  
Snow.  
  
The world was covered in snow by now. It would be winter... but the instability of Earth, not only political and social, was also reflected on it's weather. This was one object of the reflections being performed by two Reploids, ever-so-small seen from the sky above them, as they walked through the frozen high ways of an almost deserted city. One of them wore a white armor , with red details linking to a red orb on his chest. He was a model programmed for fighting, as reflected on his helmet, that worked like a mask covering his face thanks to it's visor. The one by his side, much smaller than him in height, wearing a dark green cloak that was oftenly blown by the wind, had a typical gear that resembled many militia's caps. One could easily associate him being an army soldier, only to be half correct, for he was just a data processing Reploid - retired from his working days due to the imminent perishing of the demised Repliforce.  
  
"So", the white soldier stated, "it really has been cold for an age, hasn't it?"  
  
"Yes", the data worker replied, "I'd say it is sort of a side effect to the massive mechanization of nature. Many forests had been mechanized by now in hopes of restoring Earth's weather stability, but that could not counter the effects of the global heating. Apparently, the government decided to try an artificial weather-control similar to those who were experimental that ended up destroyed in the second Maverick outbreak in a world-scale."  
  
The white reasoned, "And then, they weren't able to control the side-effects, huh? I mean, it has been three god damn seasons of cold with this one! Or are we still enduring cold, you even having to wear a cloak due to it, because it's 'for the best of everyone'?"  
  
The data worker, covered with his cloak, faintly smiled at his friend's comment about him enduring cold. Even though Reploids have a much higher tolerance to cold than human beings do, this season's "winter" was indeed blistering, forcing him to wear his unusual outfit - without proper clothing, most humans were even forced to stay enclausured inside their shelters or houses. He then commented, "Your personality hasn't changed a bit, has it, Lode?"  
  
Lode shrugged, "It's a tough job someone has to handle, you know", quickly staring back to his friend, inquiring him. "But, anyway, why are you changing the subject, Reic? Someone's paying you to keep your mouth shut?" Reic laughed a little this time, amused by his friend's paranoia. He then clarified, "All we know about Earth's condition is speculative, Lode", turning himself to face his friend as he said that, "And even Repliforce had not much scoop on this matter. The government seems to keep their secrets very well, you see - if they know what is going on themselves, that is." One that knew Reic for all the time Lode did would have noted a slight worry in his voice's tone.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about the government, myself." Lode also sounded quite worried, facing the ground with his head bowed this time. "With the mass hysteria going on with the humans thanks to the last war against Repliforce where Gestalt judged innocent Reploids as Mavericks, I doubt the government will simply sit comfortably and let the humans revolt around against us Reploids. Now, more than ever, they're conviced that any Reploid is a Maverick." As he and his friend kept walking, Reic apparently gave his first sincere smile ever since this conversation began. "I know very well that is the reason you resigned from the Hunters, but Gestalt already resigned and the new general, Signas, is doing a very good job at it. He even managed to calm down the mass hysteria of the humans a bit by now. And it's been only six months, so far." Lode also smiled a little, just like his friend. "It is not like you to be optismitic, buddy." Reic simply said, "I have my moments."  
  
Then, small pieces of the white sky began to fall slowly, almost in the rhythim of a waltz. Took a while to the now silent and walking friends to notice these falling from the sky. Reic faced his head up when his feet was hit by one. Lode, noticing what his friend's feet was hit by, restarted their conversation. "It is snowing. So, is it really is Winter?"  
  
"Who knows. You could say all these last seasons have been snow-less winters." Lode nodded. "Wait a second... by your own count, this would be the third season straight without another than winter, right? As in, three winters?" Lode turned himself to face Reic and agreed, "Yeah. Why do you ask?" The cloaked reploid answered, "I remember a tale from before I worked with Repliforce, with a human that needed help compiling database about mythologies, that relates to our situation in a sense."  
  
The retired Hunter raised one of his eyebrows and wandered in surprise. "Mythologies, huh? I prefer to call it 'humans who had too much time in their hands'. But, anyway... what was this tale about?" Reic shook his head negatively, dissatified with his colleague's habits of joking upon every single kind of cultural knowledge not based on science. Regardless, he answered his friend's question.  
  
"If I remember well, it was from 'Norse' mythology, that resorts from many centuries before the rough sketches of our own technologies were created. During the humans' 'middle ages'. It was like sort of like this... 'When the winter comes three times, without the relieve of summer, the Gods' dusk will commence. Feuds and battles will break apart, even between families, and all morality will disappear. This is the beginning of the end'."  
  
Lode gulped and swallowed his own 'saliva', amused with himself. It was not like him at all to be impressed by the human's beliefs, but this time, something in that tale really messed with him inside. Unwilling to let Reic notice this "moment of weakness" he had, Lode quickly regained his sarcastic composture and let out, "Nice poem, tale, whatever it is. What was it for in their beliefs?" Reic replied facing away from Lode's sight,  
  
"Ragnarok. The end of the world." 


	3. Chapter One: Phantoms from a Forgotten P...

Mega Man X  
  
Ragnarok  
  
Chapter One  
  
"Phantoms from a forgotten past"  
  
A melody of sorrow began to echo in the distance.  
  
A black distance, there is. There was nothing, all but pitch black; the sound was everything that there was. He... he? Yes, a sensation of identity was suddenly inserted in this darkness world. He, the inhabitant of this place, could only hear the melody, but now he had conscience of what was happening to him. He thought he knew what would come next, but at the same time, he didn't. It was a strange feeling of Déja-Vu, as humans called it. He was also way concerned about fighting to protect Earth to care or reflect on those matters, but the point remained. The experience was strangely familiar... yet new. Suddenly, he felt his legs were immersed in some kind of water, just... thicker. When he looked down, he could see his legs were covered in a red liquid. He slided his hand through the liquid, staring at his blemished hand afterwards.  
  
"Blood."  
  
As soon as he thought that to himself, the darkness was seemingly being dispelled by someone. He could see he was surrounded by metallic sculptured walls with red curtains and golden adherences, that oftenly traced out blue jewels encraved in such walls. He thought of himself in a palace, and, in the long distance, he sighted an enormous metallic double door that matched the "decoration" for this place. Still a little stuck by the liquid's gravity, he forcefully began to walk forward, pushing his legs to his limit. He wondered how simple gravity could be affecting him... -a Reploid? Yet another remembrance - so much.  
  
As he walked on further, he found dead bodies enshrined in glasses, which were disturbingly familiar to his memory. The much he walked this far, he recognized a sat down, supported by the glass wall, grayish "knight" like Reploid, still holding his broken spear in his hand, with many cuts in his anatomy. His blood seemed dry; he should have perished long ago. To his left, the wandering Reploid met the gaze of another android, whose design resemble a hornet, laid in the same conditions the gray knight were. The traveller felt an uneasy feeling taking care of him and his eyelids trembled for a brief second, on what he could think of described as "fear". He shook his head a little to try to order his thoughts, even if useless, just to feel what looked like long hair on his back. He sort of looked behind to try to visualize it, but instead, he carried on walking to the metallic doors. On his way to the door, the wandering Robot saw many enshrined fallen ones, but no other seemed to strike his attention as the previous ones had. His mind was set on getting to the door, possibly holding the key to this enigma. Nothing but the door.  
  
As he finally reached it, he raised his arms and began to push it forward just so it would open up. The door, however, didn't seem to budge, as he once more had to bring himself to his limits and push it until the end with all of his strength. Finally, the door was cast open, and before him, nothing but darkness.  
  
Looking to the both ends of the room and still sighting nothing, the stranger stepped in the room. As he did so, the doors behind him immediately closed, with the stormous sound of what was almost a sonic boom. Very much surprised, he turned his head around half way to see what had driven the doors to be closed, as the room began to be lightened in the same fashion the previous one had. Without him even noticing, the blood that covered almost all of his legs was suddenly gone. He stopped the turning of his head and once more faced straight of him to see what would be in the centre of this enigma.  
  
The room, a round one, had the same schemes of the previous one. However, in it's centre, there was a pillar where a girl was standing, her arms folded up, tied by metal ropes in the pillar. Her legs were loose; she was actually hung by someone in that pillar. Her clothes were ragged, with many wounds on what of her revealed skin was shown, and an apparently armor-like dress she wore was also broken, ripped in what seemed to be half of it. The girl had her face down, with a beautiful brown hair -locks covering her face, as her long hair reached almost to the height of her feet, illustrating the foreground to the pillar she was kept into.  
  
The drifter, seeing this, was suddenly shocked. He let out a gasp of shock and surprise, both his hands opened, and his arms loose in the position of fright. The girl, lifting her head up, revealed her beautiful face to the wanderer. She had navy blue eyes with a look of innonce on it, but her face expression was something else. She could be described as the embodiment of pain and ache, with a touch of despair.  
  
She looked on to the eyes of her watcher, and inquired, "Why?", as tears began to stream down through her face, sobbing afterwards in her angst. The Reploid beside her eyes widened. He felt like the world's weight was just put over his shoulders. He slowly began to comprehend everything that was happening.  
  
"Iris", the name cut through his mind like a sharped knife, as he felt his insides being crippled apart, burning with guilt. All but in one moment, that seemed to last like an eternity. The girl, still lamenting herself, apparently gained enough strenght to ask once more, "Why, Zero? Why did you do this to us?" It was everything. It was the pain in her voice, it was her own name, it was the onslaught of memories in his mind... but, one word out of the ones the girl - Iris - said, was a deathblow to the wandering Reploid.  
  
"Zero."  
  
That must be his name. He barely had the time to assimilate that, and he was assaulted by countless visions. He could see himself killing many people at once, with blood gushing all around. He could see himself destroying the Knight he found in the hall of the fallen ones. A picture of a military hat, along with an activated red saber, both bathed in blood, also seemed to haunt his mind longer than the others, that kept looping themselves in a chaotic order. He dropped to his kness, supporting his body by putting his hands on the ground, as Iris, still in the altar, asked him one more time "Why did things have to end like this?! Why, Zero?! Answer me!"  
  
He couldn't have answered even if his mind and heart tried their hardest to. Zero's mind and heart were being mercilessly assaulted by all kinds of emotion: pain, angst, sadness, hopelessness, desperation, chaos. This was an endless torture for Zero, so excruciating he screamed.  
  
He screamed and screamed, holding back no feelings at all. For such a fighter like Zero, that would be more than uncommon. He could face it even as a dishonor. He wouldn't stop his screaming, as the sight of a mysterious old man began to overlay the other looping images in his mind.  
  
And then, he, not being able to take any more at all, took his Z-Saber - unknowing where he got it from, but what did it matter to him? - and after activating it, pierced his own chest horizontally, as deep as he could, from one end to another, in hopes of stopping his unholy torment.  
  
He opened his eyes with a gasp of desperation, breathing hard, with sweat running across his face. The first thing he sighted was the blurred green image of what appeared to be a recovery room, filled with capsules, with an energy core sustained by a pillar in it's center. He then gazed around his closed and small surroundings, and noticed he himself was in one recovery chamber.  
  
"A nightmare." Zero said, while tapping his helmet's jewel with his fingers, as he laid his head on the palm of his hand. "Only a nightmare."  
  
Yes. "Only" a nightmare.  
  
Or should it be "this" nightmare? To the paladin in red, dreams had become painful burdens, that were slowly parasiting his life. Not only his visions of the past and recurring nightmares involving that mysterious old man being enough, ever since Iris' death the dream he's just had have been haunting Zero. As if the pain he endured to carry on his life with that death in his conscience wasn't enough.  
  
He kept facing a blank spot, still with his hand covering his face. His thoughts weren't even clear enough, but if they were put into words, he would be thinking "Am I going insane? Were Sigma right... did I want to destroy Colonel and... Iris...? And everybody else I have fought so far... all were for my own pleasure rather than peace?"  
  
As if to reveal something important to him, the old man's image flashed for a brief instant in Zero's memory. Startled by that very brief moment, Zero's let out a gasp as his eyes widened and he felt a strange premonition. Somehow, he felt it was related to... X?  
  
Distancing the palm of his hand from his face that he stared for moments, Zero decided it would do no good to keep paining him with those questions - "As if I had done something else beyond that and killing". Hoping that the night's breeze would relax his tormented soul, the android opened his capsule and walked off the recovery room.  
  
As the glass of Zero's capsule closed, leaving the inside of the chamber completely dark, it is also in darkness that two souls reunite themselves, unknowing of the Hunter's situation, even if he is to become an obstacle in their path.  
  
One of them, that outlined a male silhouette, wandered through the place a little, waiting for his companion to arrive. Even though nothing could be seen in the absence of light - which made them pick this place for their meeting -, the man himself brought life to the darkness by charging energy into the palm of his hand.  
  
The energy was a mere pale blue flame burning on it's own pace, that illuminated even less than necessary for someone to recognize anything in their sight in this place - but what looked like rusty metal wires, capsules, tubes and computers from the very little that could be gathered.  
  
However, he could recognize everything.  
  
He had unforgettable memories held in this place. His ideals were formed here, as well as much of his heart, with the companion he is waiting to arrive... and as well, the one that became his mentor. To him, this was a mist of torture and pleasure. Pleasure, for being able to revive in his mind all the joy he experienced in the past. He was afraid he would be robbed of that much in what this world had become. Torture, for if his colleague and his mentor knew what happened to him through all these years, he would be despised by them - at least. And this thought haunted his soul for everlong since he went through this... 'change'.  
  
"Lightning up the darkness, Bragi?"  
  
A female voice echoed in a not so far distance. The male shadow wasn't surprised - he heard her footsteps way before she approached him, and he just lingered into his thoughts due to his own desire. He also was eager to hear her voice first rather than his' in their reencounter.  
  
"Yes, Idun", he spoke, turning himself around to face her, as he intensified the flame in his hand revealing his face momentaneously for her. In this blink of a moment, Idun was once more able to see her friend's face, just the way she remembered it. His brown hair that had a lock falling upon the gold jewel of his blue helmet, that outlined his face and had spiky edges in each horizontal extremity where the Reploids' "ears" were held, and his beard, brown as well, that circulated his mouth. Idun always thought of him as handsome, at least.   
  
After this brief moment of silence, Bragi softly stated, "But, if you want, we may speak in darkness." and after those words the flame in his hand disappeared. She was covered by the darkness, but under her hideout, Idun smiled. After wards she softly cried, "Please, return the light. Let us see each other once more after so long."  
  
Bragi grinned and with such words, generating a spark of light that floated between him and his female companion, illuminating a little of each of them. Bragi was finally met again with Idun's beauty, that to him was unmatched. She had a short light blue hair under her knight-style helmet, with small hairlocks trying to escape it, and an armor design that was quite congruent with her helmet's layout. She looked like a modern amazon, yet medieval, as her dress that did not cover her legs and chest plate that were both similar to Berkana's, revealed.  
  
Idun stared at Bragi for long moments, either just staring to his face, either staring to his body. Bragi's blue armor had a metallic ring attached to his chest plate as a source of protection, and somewhat bulky shoulders that had spikes in the end of each. He was also always accompanied by his sword, guarded in his belt and sheated, and his lyre, held in his left hand. Bragi always lived through those extremes: a poet and musician, as well as a fighter and Reploid Researcher. Just as his friend, that stood in front of him, were.  
  
After so much silence that both enjoyed, Idun's face changed to a severe expression. Bragi could see this lit up by his flame, and a bad feeling overtook his soul as the female knight did so. Uncomfortable with such, Bragi also sketched a most serious expression in his face. Idun's voice echoed, once more, first than the poet's.  
  
"So, you've received the message, haven't you?"   
  
"Yes." Bragi replied without changing his tone and expression, just as Idun had done. Surprisingly enough for Bragi, his dear mate now looked serene as she bowed her head a little.  
  
"Finally, after so much time, her dream will come true..."  
  
The brown haired reploid gulped in fear, but didn't let his companion perceive it. It was true; his mentor's - and Idun's, as well - dream was about to come true, with an extra help from the two Reploids themselves. However, what Bragi came to be wouldn't allow it to happen... or would it? How could he possibly betray Idun and his tutor? Even for someone who most called not only a research genius but also an intellectual for 'soul' subjects as Bragi, this question could not be easily answered. Unable to retort for now - if he ever becomes, the Reploid that was still lightning the darkness was forced to keep an appearance game.  
  
"Yes, but we should not stray from our path. Is your soul collecting progressing as scheduled?"  
  
It would take a little while for Bragi to notice how awful his choice of words had been. Idun was even somewhat insulted Bragi asked that to her, as if doubting her loyalty to their liege. She retorted, "Bragi, doubting me? How could I ever live, if I failed with her? Worry not about my part, that is all I have to say to you."  
  
Disturbed, the former researcher apologized to Idun. "I'm sorry, Idun, I didn't intend--"  
  
"It is not the time to care about such trivial matters such as ourselves. The world is coming to a gate of change, and we are the ones to open it." Bragi was even surprised by Idun's choice of words. Sure, she always had been loyal, but united to her spontaneous speech and voice tone, he could swear she had become a fanatic. Or were she always, and he didn't know until now?  
  
Recomposing himself after the shock, the poet nodded in agreement. "If you say so." Bragi tried to stare in her eyes, but Idun was facing a blank spot in a wall, herself, turning away from Bragi's gaze. He had no idea she would be so disturbed to his question, but still remembered how he and his friend could have their own misunderstandings.  
  
Once more, Idun's voice cut through the silence. "We're wasting time." Bragi, however, was indifferent this time around to his friend's somewhat unusual coldness. He simply limited himself to agreeing with a mutter and by nodding of his head. Then, Idun turned her head to peer Bragi in his eyes and spoke firmly.  
  
"We're assaulting Laguz Island tomorrow and starting the plan, since the time has come. Bring all the DNA Souls you have collected so far. Understood, Bragi?"  
  
Even if she was being severe, Bragi could feel a drip of affection in Idun's tone. He was rather glad with such himself, but, as usual, did not show it. He once more nodded and replied, "Yes. I will meet you there tomorrow."  
  
Idun nodded in return. "I shall be going, then, to take care of my last preparatives. I advice you to do the same, because there can be no errors, my friend." Bragi just stared in Idun's eyes this time around to note he understood what his friend was getting to. Idun smiled, finally waving off the annoyance she had with Bragi's previous questioning. "Good bye for now."   
  
With that, she vanished away. Leaving one reploid and his inner conflicts alone with a spark of light, that was slowly extincting itself... returning the entire place to darkness- as well as Bragi's body and soul.  
  
The darkness in the sky was lit by the moon in that night. A beautiful full moon that hasn't been so beautiful for years now. Zero peered in on the endless space and on the stars blinking in the sky. He was never an appreciator of "nature beauty" or other trivial events that many seemed to enjoy. But the crimson Reploid was trying to avoid some pain for his soul, and many times he was led to situations like this. There he was, laid down with his legs crossed, hands on the back of his head as he stood supported by a wall of this courtyard watching that night's sky.  
  
"I'm glad it's stopped snowing.", Zero thought to himself, as his mind wandered in many other subjects almost at the same time. One of the other thoughts was about the conquest of space by the hands of men and Reploids, as the strong shine of one star caught Zero's attention. The small Maverick outbreaks happening in this gap of peace led all of the world to believe in a new golden era that would be to come for all people, regardless of their race, Reploid or human. At the same time, the almost stained (due to the Maverick wars) Space Program reached it's peak so far, allowing massive space colonies to be estabilished in Earth's orbit. Such colonies were much more stable and a quantum-leap design-wise than the "Final Weapon"- the colony Repliforce had used in their 'independence operation'-, also passive of letting humans inhabit them. Satisfied with those results, the European and Asiatic nations - great global potencies in the present time- were sealing an agreement to launch their own permanent colony into orbit, called 'Eurasia'.  
  
Even though Zero was trying his hardest to avoid himself pain, it was seemingly useless. Thinking of the 'Eurasia' project immediately triggered the rememberance of the Final Weapon into orbit and the loss of Iris. Zero hated to feel that weak and susceptible to a feeling of blame that was corroding him from inside, let alone it being contracted from a war casualty. Sure, Zero killed many as a Hunter to mantain peace and would face the loss of lives naturally, but he wasn't a monster - or was he? With those visions and nightmares haunting his sanity, the scarlet warrior could never know for sure. Yet, he only felt truly alive when in the heat of combat. And the thought of this just made Zero angrier at himself, for he knew an assassin inside him was cheering and commanding him to destroy all of those Zero did in his life so far. And that he'd enjoy drinking their blood should he be the dominant side of Zero - Ilike you're not/I, the tormented soul thought to himself.  
  
At this point of his reflection, the loner heard footsteps approaching him. Long before he turned to face the person approaching him or heard the person's voice, he knew who it was. Anybody in the Hunter Base would be intimidated to see 'the great Zero' so deep in thought to come near, let alone disturb him, without the most valid reason available. All but one, who Zero had fought along, side by side, through all of his life by now.  
  
The approaching man, with his blue armor reflecting the moonlight a little, stopped walking in front of Zero- who still refused to face him in his eyes and kept looking at the sky-, as he greeted his reflecting friend kindly, trying to draw attention. "Hey, Zero! Why are you so deep in thought?" The red reploid still refused to meet his friend's gaze and said the blue reploid's name with a drip of antipathy. "X", he coldly spouted after some seconds, "Aren't you supposed to be training the 17th Unit?"  
  
At that the Azure Hunter did not lose his good mood. He was used to Zero's behavior, and sometimes, he'd be harsh like that for reasons his friend wouldn't know anytime soon - specially after Zero had become more introspective. X limited himself to replying still with a smile in his face. "Yes, but they progressed quite nicely today, I could end the training session sooner. Specially now, that we have less Mavericks on the loos--"  
  
"Idiot." Zero's voice cut X's enthusiastic speech like a sharped scythe. Still facing a blank spot, the red warrior continued his reasoning, "How many times did we think these wars would be over? How many times did we hope for a better future, all in vain? Sigma and the Mavericks are still out there, just waiting. If we let our guards down, they'll keep on striking us in our weakest points again. If we are to defeat them, X, there is no choice but to be as rude and heartless as they are. So don't fool yourself, thinking that we may have peace."  
  
X was shocked by the speech his friend just pulled out. Zero was always a bit pragmatic let alone harsh and cold, but this time, he showed something was really tearing him up inside, to which X was clueless. With those words, all Zero had done was to worry his friend and put yet another weight in his soul, regreting being so cruel with his comrade, regardless if one side of him felt actually refreshed for letting out the frustration that's been builiding up on him for so long.  
  
The 'Messiah of the 22nd Century', as some have dubbed him, endured an uncomfortable silence of mere seconds that looked like hours to him in front of his brother-in-arm. However, X's care for his friend wouldn't be hindered by that, as he afterwards asked, "Zero... what is the matter? What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing.", the one word reply came from Zero's mouth, completely dry.  
  
"You've been colder ever since the last war. I don't know what is it, but..."  
  
Zero was actually glad that X still worried about him. Regardless if he lived for battles and a higher purpose, sometimes the Red Hunter needed to feel like he belonged somewhere. Even though he had his other colleagues and his 0th unit, X was the only person Zero was actually a friend in the true sense of the word. Uninterested in lingering his own problems into others, Zero told his friend off. "X, it's just a bad day. Leave me be for a while, won't you? I'd say you could use some rest in the recovery chambers."  
  
One of the pre-requisites to being Zero's friend would be to endure his tough (at times) ego. Sort of used to that, X simply shrugged and sighed, to what he added "Alright, Zero. But if you need me at all, just call me, alright?". Zero simply noded and muttered the answer: "Okay. Alright." X raised both his eyebrows and looked over to a blank spot, worried with his friend. But he understood Zero's need to be left alone in that moment.  
  
X turned himself to face a door in front of him, pushing a button on the wall causing the metal frame to slide, revealing the corridor to the recovery room. The blue hero walked towards the recovery capsules, more by Zero's request than his own will. He wasn't that tired, but, if he couldn't hang out with Zero for a while the left option to him would be to sleep for a while, in hopes of waking up to find a better day.  
  
"Don't you see, honey? I told you better days were to come."  
  
"I have to agree with you, sweetheart..."  
  
Two Reploids were walking in the deserted streets of a commercial district, that was shut hours ago as the time right now was late-night. The lovers weren't sure if it would be around midnight, 3 AM, or what else it could be... but it didn't matter. They were comfortable with each other. They were comfortable with the world. They were simply in one of those days where things seem to work out, in the best fashion possible. The green haired female, who wore a green jacket to shield herself from the cold, tenderly hugged her partner, a brown haired reploid wearing a dark brown coat, that also wore a spotter helmet. She had always asked him to get rid of it, but for him that helmet reminded him of all the friends he had back when he worked with the Hunters, before he retired himself from working due to his lover's pleas. Even if he was "safe" at the Hunter Base, nothing could be guaranteed about his safety, and she weren't up to losing him. Neither were he to losing her, making his retirement decision rather easy.  
  
Ceasing their walking, the couple stared at a closed souvenir store. The female reploid promptly stated upon looking the product's window, "All about Christmas... but we're not even in that season, are we?" Her lover pondered for a second and calmly commented, "Perhaps we're not, but I guess that these cold days most likely put everybody in a 'Christmas season', don't you think? After all, with all those endless wars one after the other, I don't think the world has had a 'real Christmas' ever since the Reploids were created..."  
  
The girl adorably chuckled, as she complimented her companion's ability to think about things she wouldn't ever consider during her life. Though as he was about to reply to her kindness, distinct noises had came to the pair's attention. From what they could make out of it, it sounded almost like a fight. The former-spotter broke his embrace with his girlfriend, calmly asking her to not move from where she stood as he walked towards the source of the ruids.  
  
The ex-Hunter moved cautiously, fixing his sight in a dark alley amongst the closed stores he didn't pay attention out of his aprehension. All he could make out of the scenery around him were dark green and navy blue tones, that were the predominant colors in the district he was currently in. He quietly sneaked to the "door" of the dark alley, from where he could hear the noises originating. Before venturing inside, he looked back to his girlfriend, nodding to her in silence. Her face could be described as an embodiment of afliction. Her lover knew that, and so tried to look reassuring by giving her a possible final gaze. He wanted to let her know he wouldn't let anything happen between them.  
  
Finally, he moved on. Everything was pitch black at first. He moved one or two steps as he heard more ruids. Now at the source of the mistery, what he could make out of the ruids was meat being pierced by some kind of blade. As his sight slowly began to get used to the darkness, the first color perceived in the middle of the dark was red. A bloody red.  
  
He finally saw it. Suspended in the air by a purple beam blade pierced through his chest, an agoniating Reploid began to scream in pain. The light dispelling the darkness in the alley was but the blade's, it's purple tones creating an even gloomier atmosphere amongst the darkness. The spotter could not make anything out of the victim and the agressor visually. All he could distinguish was the blood dripping out of the wound, a vivid red shining in contrast with the dark purple. The agressor deactivated the blade holding his victim up in the air. As the body began to collapse to the ground, the murderer activated the blade back on, cutting the reploid in half before he crumbled to the ground.  
  
The spotter watched in horror. He heard not the body crumbling to the ground, but fountains of blood hitting the ground, a somewhat putrid sound that reached instantly for his soul striking it with fear and despair. He knew this were but a hallucination; the beam blade cauterized the victim's wounds due to it's heat, and no blood gushed out of this grotesque act of violence... yet, the sound in his mind was too real to be took as a delirium.  
  
After this moment of fear, the former Hunter realized the danger he and his lover were risking by standing there any longer. Overwhelmed by his despair, the spotter began to run manically, his mind set only in getting himself and his girlfriend to a safe place. He did not even note when the alley assassin stopped watching his victim's corpse in the ground and fitted the spotter in his sight. With a cruel, yet somewhat joyful and disappointed grin formed in his face, the murdered spoke to himself, "Great. More Mavericks."  
  
"Karen, we have to get out of here!", the spotter exclaimed, running and grabbing his girl's arm for her to follow him. Panicked, Karen asked, "William! What's happened?!" The hunter explained without turning around to face the terrified woman, "Just run as fast as you can! There's an assassin here!"  
  
"Yes... a killer killing the killers."  
  
The voice came out of nowhere, omnipresent, sadistic. Shocked, Karen and William stopped running, as they were completely took by fear. They looked up, from where they thought the voice had came from. And so they found the assassin the spotter was speaking off.  
  
Standing proudly in the top of a building, the full moon behind him giving him a menacing illumination, the assassin grinned with madness. His left eye was pierced by a scar. His green armor had gray-ish details very much like the chest plates models like X possess, only all of it revested by the blood of his victims. His closed fist in front of his face, and the stenched aroma of death his presence brought made him look a demon that came straight from hell.  
  
Karen and William were simply terrorized. The monster, noticing this, knew it was his time to attack. He jumped with the skill of a predator towards his two victims, landing on his feet in front of them. Trembling with fear, William closed his fist and dashed towards the devil. His epitaph were the words he shouted to the one he loved.  
  
"Karen! Escape NO--"  
  
He didn't have the time to finish his plea, though, as the green demon quickly activated his weapon once more. A thin spark of light came from his pulse, followed by the shining energy blade. And in this blink of an eye, he pierced William's body, firstly shoving the blade on his head. Immediately, the reploid fell back, his eyes facing a blank spot- he was feeling the last sensations of his life. Pain sparkled through his entire body for a brief moment. The murderer laughed at his oponent's bravery, slowly pulling the blade down afterwards and outlining William's entire body down to his legs. The spotter crumbled to the ground, with his body dividing itself vertically seconds later.  
  
It all happened in a heartbeat. But for Karen it took an eternity. As she peered her lover's body in the ground, lifeless and grotesquely murdered, all she could do was scream. She screamed loudly, with all the pain and despair in her soul being released in a perfectly synchronized moment, and her tears streamed down through her face as she fell to her knees. The green reploid dashed towards his next victim, and Karen did not even feel anything - perhaps only one very brief moment of pain - when the assassin dashed by her side, putting an end to her misery.  
  
The demon, then, looked at his work. The mangled bodies of those lesser victims, those unworthy Mavericks - the way he thought of those himself - were not what he was looking for. He wasn't satisfied. He was looking for someone, someone that became his one purpose to still be alive. The one who brought inumerous hunters down and now reigned like a king among those. He, this green murderer, which was also thought of a monster and a devil, was looking for the rest of him. He was looking for the Maverick who was known only as the "Red Maverick".  
  
"Where are you, Red Maverick? Where are you?"  
  
"So, it seems there is a new Maverick on the loose."  
  
"Yes, captain Zero."  
  
Zero peered on deformed and decepated reploid bodies in front of him. Alongside the crimson hunter, a recovery team who reported the casualty was doing it's report on the happenings. The blonde reploid kneeled to examinate one of the bodies more carefully, and after looking on the wounds a little, he loudly spoke his conclusions to the unit.  
  
"I'd say it is a safe bet this Maverick, or assassin, is using a beam saber or some kind of beam blade to kill it's victims. As you see, most of the wounds are cauterized. Similar effects could also be achieved if the Maverick was using plasma busters, but from the look of it, I'd say it is highly unlikely." The rookie hunters gave a cautious look at the evidence, and all nodded to Zero's conclusion. The red android walked off in distance, looking for more bodies or perhaps hints to lead to the killer. Without facing the rookies, Zero asked "What do we have to work with?"  
  
"Not much", one of the hunters replied, "Everything was pretty normal in this district. We just were asked to recover some stolen items from a dismantled Maverick factory, and we came across those victims. Fortunately enough, when we contacted ms. Alia about it, you were about to leave the Base, sir."  
  
"I see." Zero pondered for a second. Indeed, he was about to leave the base to do a routine check on the nearest city just to try to relax a little. However, as he was about to tell Alia he was going to be absent, the rookie hunters called with this mysterious assassin brought up. Zero, though, was somewhat actually glad he had a new Maverick to hunt. And specially one that took other's life so abhoringly, in such cruel manners. He was desiring an enemy he could hate, an enemy where he could possibly unleash all of his pain and anger. A scape-goat, why not. And it seems he just had found it.  
  
"Alright, you guys report back to the Base about this. I'm going to find this Maverick by myself and take care of it."  
  
One of the rookies intimidately asked, "Are you sure, sir? How are you going to find him, anyway?"  
  
"Someone ranked SA'd better know how to do his job, I think. Don't worry about it, leave everything to me."  
  
With those parting words, Zero jumped on to distance, from a building's rooftop to another. He didn't know how to explain it, specially for such unexperienced Hunters, but he knew how to find this Maverick. He thought of it himself he was able to feel his assassin will or his energy, like with the Sigma Virus. But it was somehow different - it didn't /I like a Maverick's viral energy. It was a Maverick alright, but he was not infected by the virus, or so Zero felt.   
  
Or would it be even another thing? Zero was remembered of something Iris told him - that sometimes, a soul can answer another's request. Even if the words aren't said, they can feel each other, and know when to intervent. And having gazed this Maverick's doing, Zero felt like he was calling exactly for him, "the great Maverick Hunter Zero".   
  
The scarlet soldier ceased jumping and stopped at one rooftop for a second. He hated how everything was reminding him of Iris. He felt like he already had endured enough pain for her death, and that he deserved the chance to move on. But then he perceived that he himself stopped moving in his search for the Maverick to think about her. Was it the pain not allowing him to move on, or himself? Zero muttered a sarcastic laugh to himself. He'd like to be the emotionless killing machine everyone except X makes out of him. Regardless - the red hunter himself thought he'd better knock the conjectures off, and concenter himself in doing his job. And therefore, he continued his hunting.  
  
"Keep on firing! Don't let him come any closer!"  
  
Three Maverick Hunters, wearing the Falcon Ride Armors, kept on shoting a moving target that was clouded by the blast's smoke. The heat-seeker plasma shots were unable to match the target's speed, causing fear to take over the hearts of the hunters. In some time, the smoke vanished, and the target was nowhere to be seen. The confusion installed itself rather quickly in the Hunters, as their enemy was deemed incredibly dangerous.  
  
"Where did he go?!"  
  
"He's disappeared? Maybe he evaporated!"  
  
"No! I think he's still around, keep your eyes peeled!"  
  
Suddenly, one of the three Ride Armors exploded. The remaining Hunters were caught by surprise, and before anything could be done or said, the Buster of one Ride Armor fell to the ground, visibly cut by something, and the third Hunter got hit on his head by something.  
  
"What's going on?! Mirun! Watch out! He's in your Ride Armor!"  
  
"What?!!"  
  
The third hunter tried to turn around to face his agressor, and he saw the green armored devil slowly grin at him. The Maverick activated his beam blade once more, and trespassed the Hunter's neck with it, pulling it up seconds later, ripping the Hunter's head vertically with it. The green devil shoved the deceased hunter aside, as he grabbed the Ride Armor's controls himself. The second Hunter watched in fear, as his Ride Armor could no longer attack with it's buster inutilized. The green Maverick grinned yet again, and manically blasted countless Buster shots against the second Hunter. The plasma shots reached for the Ride Armor, exploding it's central core, making the vehicle disappear in a cloud of fire and smoke. As the hunter crawled in pain from the explosion, the Maverick laughed manically and mercilessly blasted against the helpless reploid more plasma shots. The reploid closed his eyes before the blasts reached him, and in the same fashion of the Ride Armor, he ceased to be once the plasma shots reached his own core, exploding him.  
  
The remaining hunter who had his Ride Armor destroyed first watched the carnage horrified, laying in the ground and trying to withstand the pain of his own wounds. Facing the survivor, the green maverick left the Ride Armor and started walking slowly towards the Hunter, as the fire burned behind him, truly alluding the Maverick to a demon that was in hell itself.  
  
Once he reached the wounded hunter, the Maverick had a severe expression that no longer shown the madness predominant in him. He slowly kneeled to face the soldier, and after peering on his eyes with his piercing gaze, he declared "I'll be nice with you. Tell me where I can find him, and you'll stay alive to tell the story."  
  
"...Him? Him who?"  
  
"Your leader. The Red Maverick."  
  
"Wh... what are you talking about? You attacked this small Hunter unit base looking for a Maverick?"  
  
"Don't try to make a fool out of mew, kid, I know who is who. Now..." The green Maverick activated his beam blade, menacingly peering inside the Hunter's eyes, and calmly continued to spoke, "...unless you want this blade to pierce your body, you'd better give me some answers. What will it be?"  
  
The insubordinated Hunter began to sweat. He didn't know what this green murderer was after, but he knew that he wouldn't hesitate in killing him. He closed his eyes and gulped in fear, for he knew his answer wasn't what the Maverick was looking for.  
  
"I really don't know what you're talking about! Please, spare my life!"  
  
"You're as useless as the others. Die!"  
  
"Get your hands off him, unless you want to die yourself."  
  
The voice, interrupting the Maverick's movement to shove the blade in the hunter's stomach, struck the green assassin like a thunder. He knew this voice. It was the same voice of so many years ago. The voice of the one he was looking for. The voice of...  
  
"The Red Maverick. So here you are, after all."  
  
The green Maverick turned himself around and stood up to face his opponent who just had arrived. The same flames that alluded the unknown Maverick to a demon now did the same allusion to Zero, who stood still with a severe expression with his Beam Saber activated.  
  
"Cap... Captain Zero!"  
  
Trying to keep a fuzilating sight on the Maverick's eyes, Zero told the Hunter "Kid, get out of here. I'll take care of this Maverick."  
  
"Y, yes, Sir!"  
  
Slowly standing up, the wounded Hunter ran out of the battlefield, as the two warriors kept on facing each other. Zero never saw his opponent before, so he thought, but for the green Maverick, the moment he awaited for so long had just arrived. The unknown warrior was burning inside, about to attack Zero at any moment, but he realized how much of a dangerous enemy he was about to battle. Forcefully calming himself, the Maverick began to speak to the red hero, with his voice dripping anger and rage.  
  
"Zero, huh. So that is your true name?"  
  
Met with this question, Zero felt not the need to comply. What the Maverick would like to call him was absolutely irrelevant to the Hunter, and he retorted with a question he was asking himself even since the dead bodies were found. "And who are you?"  
  
The Maverick laughed at that question. His delicious laughs echoed through the burning panorama, as he smacked his forehead out of disbelief and amusement. Zero was somewhat disturbed by this behavior, but naturally didn't show it to his enemy. After swallowing some of the incoming laughs he wanted to throw at the Hunter, the Maverick finally spoke.   
  
"For shame. But well, I shouldn't be surprised... you must have killed so many, you can't tell one from the other. If you want an answer, let it be I'm the one who is going to bury you once and for all."  
  
Zero subtly smiled to his enemy. It had been a while he heard something so clichésque out of a prepotent Maverick, and those words never failed to amuse him. "I've heard this line many times before. All of those who said it already regretted doing so, and you don't look like the exception."  
  
"Such arrogance. Sigma was right when he said that you, Mavericks, are the true scum of the Earth. And to think you've been dominating this planet for so long."  
  
Zero twitched his eyebrows at the Maverick's speech. In an uncommon impulsive action, the words "Sigma? He is still alive?!" came out of his mouth before he could ratiotinate. Earlier on, Zero told X that he should not expect the Hunters' nemesis to be dead, even if he was destroyed in the space this time. However, even knowing that his enemy's return was likely, Zero still had hoped that Sigma would simply 'go away' for at least one time during this lifetime... and at the same time, he didn't. He felt a strange bond that links him to Sigma once again. But Zero would have no time to think about it, as his opponent was visibly getting himself ready for the battle.  
  
"Enough of it, 'Zero'! The moment of your death has arrived!"  
  
With that said, the green Reploid closed his fist causing his beam blade to emerge as Zero kneeled, ready to dash towards the opponent. After exchanging a final gaze at each other, the fighters dashed towards at one another, and with one scream of rage coming from both of them, the fight had begun.  
  
X woke up in the middle of his capsule hibernation surprised. The first thought that passed through his mind, and perhaps the reason he woke up was...  
  
"Zero?!" 


End file.
